Project1:Layout 1 6/10/2014 1:13 PM Page 1 NCAA: FSU battles Colorado for spot in the Sweet 16 /B1 TUESDAY TODAY CITRUSCOUNTY & next morning HIGH 77 Partly sunny and LOW warmer. 55 PAGE A4 www.chronicleonline.com MARCH 23, 2021 Florida’s Best Community Newspaper Serving Florida’s Best Community $1 VOL. 126 ISSUE 166 NEWS BRIEFS Locals trek to Tallahassee Citrus County COVID-19 cases Annual pow-wow with state officials smaller this year due to COVID-19 According to the Flor- ida Department of Health, MICHAEL D. community leaders to Expansion program. This year, again be- visitors, according to three positive cases were BATES travel to the state Capitol For one thing, only cause of COVID, move- Prendergast. The House reported in Citrus County Staff writer to try and secure funding about 45 people are going ment within the Capitol side is open by appoint- since the latest update. for needed projects here to all or part of the doings has been restricted. In- ment only to one person No new deaths were re- It’s time for Citrus at home. on Wednesday and Thurs- stead, smaller local at a time who must be ac- ported, for a total of 420. County Legislative Days “It will look very differ- day, compared to the nor- groups will meet state companied by a staff once again and, even To date in the county, ent this year but I think it mal 100 or so. The officials in various member from entrance to though the pandemic has 10,159 people have will be successful,” said chamber typically char- spots in downtown exit, with no “wandering” changed some of the nor- Ardath Prendergast, ters a bus to take the con- Tallahassee. or “storming” of the halls, tested positive (including mal proceedings, it is still chamber vice president of tingent to Tallahassee, but Other changes: The Prendergast said. 85 non-residents). a great opportunity for operations and the Busi- COVID-19 put a stop to Senate side of the Capitol One new hospitaliza- local government and ness Retention and that. is closed completely to See STATE/Page A6 tion was reported, for a total of 659 hospitalized. Totals reflect prelimi- nary reports received by the state, and are subject to revision. Gas prices Looking back on continue climb For the first time in three years, Florida gas prices are averaging more than NHRA life in the fast lane $2.90 per gallon, accord- ing to an AAA report. Local recalls Drivers are paying an average $2.91 per gallon, the highest daily average glory days at price since May 2018, AAA said. Florida gas prices have increased by the drag strip more than 70 cents since JEFF BRYAN Jan. 1, 2021. In March Managing editor alone, the state average increased 30 cents. pair of strokes The upward trend was might have stolen a largely driven by tighten- Afew memories. ing global crude supplies But for Dennis Walter and market optimism that Petersavage, it hasn’t widespread vaccinations taken them all. will boost fuel demand, He remembers the AAA said. smell of the fuel, the roar “The good news for mo- of the engine. torists is that gas prices He recalls the adrena- line rush, barreling down could soon begin to slip the strip at speeds of up- lower,” said AAA spokes- ward of 270 miles per man Mark Jenkins. hour. Clerk warns of “Adrenaline does it every time,” he quipped. jury duty scam He recants the wins Con artists are trying to and the losses. take advantage of trials “Competition makes restarting in local court- the world go around,” Pe- tersavage said after retir- rooms by going after po- ing with between “18 to tential jurors. 20 career victories” Citrus County Clerk of under his belt. “Some- Court Angela Vick issued times you win, sometimes a warning Monday, you lose,” he explained. March 22, urging people “You keep coming back. to be aware of recent jury Sooner or later, you win.” duty scams. You might not, how- According to a news ever, remember the name release from Vick’s office, Dennis Walter Petersav- scammers impersonating age; but if you’re a fan of court clerks, law enforce- the National Hot Rod As- ment or other govern- sociation (NHRA), you ment officials have been are more than likely to remember the name calling citizens to say a Denny Savage. warrant was issued for The 75-year-old who their arrest because they lives at Always There As- missed jury duty. sisted Living & Memory Fraudsters then de- Care in Citrus Springs mand payment from their was a journeyman driver, targets, claiming the taking the keys to a ride money will stop the arrest whenever he was handed MATTHEW BECK/Chronicle ABOVE: National Hot Rod Association driver Dennis Petersavage resides in Citrus Springs. Above, Petersavage warrant. them. He caught his recalls some of his glory days while driving funny cars and winning a coveted “Wally” trophy. The trophy, Here are some import- break as a mechanic, he explained. given to him for a Summernationals victory in the Funny Car division, was presented to him in 1978. ant tips from the clerk’s TOP INSET: Dennis Petersavage’s biggest and best year on the NHRA circuit came in 1978 when he landed a office to help protect See FAST/Page A2 full-time ride with John Powers, an Arizona businessman, in the Powers Steel car. against jury duty scams: Court clerks do not call or email people for miss- ing jury duty or court ap- pearances, and they won’t request payment. Communications from Report: AstraZeneca vaccine effective court clerks are sent only through the U.S. mail. MARIA CHENG hospitalizations among Arrest warrants are not AND LAURAN vaccinated volunteers, compared with five such issued for failing to report NEERGAARD cases in participants who for jury duty; however, a AP medical writers FDOH keeping eyes peeled received dummy shots — judge may issue a sum- WASHINGTON — Astra- a small number, but con- mons or subpoena for Zeneca reported Monday sistent with findings from someone to show in court that its COVID-19 vaccine Britain and other coun- for possible COVID surge to explain their absence. provided strong protection tries that the vaccine pro- Do not open emails or among adults of all ages in tects against the worst of attachments within if they a long-anticipated U.S. the disease. BUSTER of the novel coronavirus concerned when we see were sent from an unfa- study, a finding that could AstraZeneca also said THOMPSON in Citrus County have a sustained increase of help rebuild public confi- the study’s independent Staff writer varied day-by-day, ac- COVID-19 cases,” FDOH miliar source. cording to the Florida spokeswoman Audrey Do not provide unfamil- dence in the shot around safety monitors found no the world and move it a Local health officials Department of Health in Stasko said, “however, iar callers or emailers serious side effects, in- step closer to clearance in cluding no increased risk are keeping their eyes the county (FDOH) on the reported cases have with personal information the U.S. open for any sustained Monday, March 22, with fluctuated daily, so it is or payments. of rare blood clots like In the study of 30,000 those identified in Eu- increase of COVID-19 average daily transmis- hard to say what we are For more information, people, the vaccine was rope, a scare that led nu- infections as variants sions hovering at around seeing other than visit the Citrus County 79% effective at prevent- merous countries to continue to spread and 20 over the past two COVID-19 is still spread- Clerk of Courts website at ing symptomatic cases of briefly suspend vaccina- cases trend upward in weeks. ing in our community.” citrusclerk.org/jury or call COVID-19 — including in tions last week. almost two dozen states. “The health depart- 352-341-6405. older adults. There were Reported contractions ment is always See VIRUS/Page A2 — From staff reports no severe illnesses or See VACCINE/Page A6 Classifieds . .B6 Crossword . .B8 INDEX Health . A9, A10 Obituaries . A5 Comics . .B5 Editorial. A7 Lottery Numbers . .B2 TV Listings. .B4 Horoscope . A4 Entertainment . A4 Lottery Payouts . .B2 A2 TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2021 LOCAL CITRUS COUNTY (FL) CHRONICLE to three IHRA national Muldowney, Conrad event wins and the IHRA “Connie” Kalitta, “Big FAST championship. Daddy” Don Garlits and Continued from Page A1 But the biggest victory John Force, whose career of the NHRA season blossomed in the late According to NHRA came in July at the 1980s and took off in the writer Phil Burgess, Pe- Summernationals. 1990s. tersavage drove for greats According to NHRA ex- “I had a lot of favorite of the sport like Roland cerpts from Burgess, Sav- drivers, a lot of them,” Pe- Leong, Farkonas-Coil- age beat George Johnson tersavage said, mention- Minick and Joe Pisano, in round one, Al Segrini ing Kalitta, who had and more than a dozen in round two, and John joined forces with others. He was at the Lombardo in the semis Muldowney in the 1980s. wheel of famed cars such with a best of 6.12. Ed Mc- “He was a good driver, as the Hawaiian, the Chi- Culloch, however, who fearless, just like Town Hustler and Pow- Petersavage had bested Shirley.” ers Steel. in the early rounds at the His career continued Petersavage, who Winter Nationals, had well into the 1980s, when served in the U.S. Army, run as quick as 6.09 in Petersavage decided it caught his break in the beating Bob Pickett in was time to retire full sport in the late 1960s round one and was the time, when he secured a after moving to Califor- heavy favorite in the final job at Gainesville nia from Seattle, round, but his American Speedway.